Look closely at the cover. If you go a little marshmallowy and say awwwww with heart eyes then you will love this book. The chemistry between Mickey aLook closely at the cover. If you go a little marshmallowy and say awwwww with heart eyes then you will love this book. The chemistry between Mickey and Jaysen was so well written and swoon-worthy. This YA book was also actually about sports and the play by plays were action packed and entertaining. I don't know if it was a case of 'the right book at the right time' but I honestly loved this. All the other amazing characters made the story rich and meaningful. It dealt with mental health issues in a respectful way. I haven't had this 'squeee' feeling about a YA romance book in a while! Yes it's predictable and hits some standard tropes but it really worked for me and I listened to it in one sitting!
CW: Sexual content but not explicit, depression/mental health, anxiety...more
Such a lovely romance that was sweet and sizzling in equal measure. I absolutely loved both of the main characters. Elle, who belie3.5 rounded up to 4
Such a lovely romance that was sweet and sizzling in equal measure. I absolutely loved both of the main characters. Elle, who believes in star signs and destiny, and Darcy, who seems emotionally closed off and cynical about love. Probably my only gripe is that the miscommunication went on for one or two too many rounds for my liking. Still a gorgeous romantic read.
Note: I read this series in a weird order but it was based on when the books were available from the library. I love3.5 Stars
Well consider me charmed!
Note: I read this series in a weird order but it was based on when the books were available from the library. I love a good reimagining and I feel like the novels in this series do a fabulous job of keeping the essence of the original fairy tales alive but giving them modern day settings and themes with some wonderfully diverse twists. Geekerella was such an easy listen and the time just flew by with me in various states of simple happiness. However, Ashley did a bang up job of creating a truly heinous sister and I am embarrassed to say I shouted at her a couple of times. I was not kind. I thoroughly recommend these light-hearted romances for high school libraries and for librarians to help students access these as audiobooks. So entertaining! ...more
Well I loved the secret squirrel, under cover aspect of this adorable YA romance.
It is a reimagining of the Prince and the Pauper but in a mo3.5 Stars
Well I loved the secret squirrel, under cover aspect of this adorable YA romance.
It is a reimagining of the Prince and the Pauper but in a modern day Comic-Con type setting. I enjoyed getting to know our loveable two main characters. Imogen is a die hard fan girl and I liked her passion in the pursuit of saving her favourite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off the popular show, Starfield. Jessica, on the other hand is hoping for the death of her character so she can get on with more serious acting roles. There is a largish cast in this story but I really thought the author did a great job of making the characters feel distinct. A great addition to the library!...more
Well that was a pretty adorable YA reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.
It was a light and fluffy story filled with fandom and the usual expec3.5 Stars
Well that was a pretty adorable YA reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.
It was a light and fluffy story filled with fandom and the usual expected tropes for this genre. I think the lead characters were engaging and that kept me turning the pages to reach the inevitable sweet and sappy conclusion. I think this series is lovely and will be popular in the library. I have yet to read book 1 but will get there shortly....more
By light I mean I felt like we were fluttering quickly across the surface of the tale. In a story with so much Well that was light but still adorable.
By light I mean I felt like we were fluttering quickly across the surface of the tale. In a story with so much lost love I would have imagined a few moments in the novel where I might have been presented with an opportunity to tear up, but it never happened. I enjoyed that Izumi blundered her way through some situations that required traditional etiquette as I did that a few times during the year I lived in Japan. I came out grinning so that's a win in my opinion....more
UPDATE: 04/05/2023 - I am bumping this up to 5 Stars on re-read! I have to say Emily Henry is my favourite romance writer. I love her relatable characUPDATE: 04/05/2023 - I am bumping this up to 5 Stars on re-read! I have to say Emily Henry is my favourite romance writer. I love her relatable characters and her wonderfully witty and intelligent writing.
If you feel like an effortless romance with adorable main characters who have crazy levels of chemistry then this is the book for you. Emily Henry writes such funny and relatable characters that you can't help but fall in love with. Alex and Poppy are best friends whose annual holidays are a great source of joy but simmering underneath is always the big 'what if'. The story jumps back and forth in time as we learn more about why these friends haven't spoken for two long years. A perfect lazy weekend read.
Well that was really cute and funny but way too long.
This started out so well and there were a few laugh out loud moments and I absolutely loved the dWell that was really cute and funny but way too long.
This started out so well and there were a few laugh out loud moments and I absolutely loved the dynamics between Chloe and Drew. The story was engaging and the family completely adorable in their craziness. I won't do any spoilers but there was a point where the story could have ended and I would have loved it. But it didn't end. Then there was another point where it could have ended and I would have been happy. But it didn't end. Then there were a few points where it should have ended but it didn't. I started becoming a bit bored with the attempts to wrap everything up so neatly because the story really started to drag for me. I think it needed an editor to cut chunks out of that last section so it didn't lose the wonderful tone and pace it had throughout the first three-quarters. Still a lovely read....more
Well that was a charming YA romance with an endearing Thai American CW: (view spoiler)[Mother abandons son and husband for another man (hide spoiler)]
Well that was a charming YA romance with an endearing Thai American main character.
This story will appeal to many as it was filled with some standard YA romance tropes making it a fairly 'safe' read. However, this will stand above other similar books for me because the characters were so enjoyable to read about and I adored the family dynamics. The romance was cute and flirty with some witty banter thrown in. It also touched upon some coming-of-age/identity type issues as Winnie struggles in the shadows of her amazing and accomplished older twin sisters. I really enjoyed this light-hearted YA rom-com....more
I really enjoyed reading about our anxiety ridden bibliophile, Nina. I found the switching point of view added to the quirkiness and reflected the scatterbrain kind of feeling we as Readers get from being inside Nina's head as she darts between thoughts and memories and daydreams. I wish there had been a little bit more about getting to know the family as I think that was the most interesting part of the story. There were a few stereotypes thrown in but they suited the overall tone of this novel. A fun, light hearted read....more
CW: Sexual assault - Boy is aggressively trying to kiss another boy. The boy is struggling to get free and is very distressed.
I absolutely loved this!CW: Sexual assault - Boy is aggressively trying to kiss another boy. The boy is struggling to get free and is very distressed.
I absolutely loved this! I don't normally like graphic novels because my brain can't cope with words and pictures that are arranged so differently on each page. I only read the words and have no idea what is happening because of course the pictures are part of the storytelling too. Anyway this was such an adorable story. How can a few sketches tell such an emotional, compelling and addicting story! I will be diving into this series with heart shaped eyes!...more
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 because of #pooney ?...#roop ?.....okay I'll leave the mashup to someone else.
CW: (view spoiler)[arophobia, acephobia, exces3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 because of #pooney ?...#roop ?.....okay I'll leave the mashup to someone else.
CW: (view spoiler)[arophobia, acephobia, excessive alcohol consumption, parents discuss conversion therapy, discussion of past abusive relationships. (hide spoiler)]
Well Alice Oseman has written another important book.
I say this because everyone should be able to see themselves represented in books and on-screen. This is an important part of being a diverse and inclusive society. It is also crucial to note that this is one character's experience of exploring their sexuality, and that everyone's journey will look different. People have the right to define themselves in whatever way they feel appropriate and labels don't have to be concrete definitions.
Now on to the story. It took a while to get into and felt long. I would totally read a companion novella that looked at Pip and Rooney's relationship because for me they actually hijacked the book a bit because I adored them so much. There was a point where I realised I was more invested in them than in Georgia's story. Don't get me wrong, I also loved Georgia and her messy and emotional journey to find her truth. I also felt the writing was a bit clumsy at times. Engaging and important....more
CW: Definitely read these as the book touches on a range of issues. (view spoiler)[Father is struggling with the loss of his wife and conside2.5 Stars
CW: Definitely read these as the book touches on a range of issues. (view spoiler)[Father is struggling with the loss of his wife and considers committing suicide to end his pain. Boy grieving death of mother from cancer, anxiety, verbally abusive boyfriend, domestic violence. (hide spoiler)]
A formulaic romance with some serious issues thrown into the mix. As I said in an earlier post, cookie cutter romances aren’t a bad thing when it is done well. The elements that make some teen romance books more enjoyable than others are: the characters are interesting and have depth, amazing chemistry that leaps off the page, and dialogue that can be witty, intelligent, meaningful and romantic.
This book is an example of doing some of those things reasonably well. There was a bit of an instalove situation with ‘British boy’ and I was a bit annoyed at some of the supposed swoon worthy moments. At one point he said ‘thank you’ and Ashlyn gushed on and on about how amazing he was, and kind, and sweet and perfect. Ummmm......he just said 'thank you'. That's basically a requirement of being a civilised person. I didn’t really like how dependent Ashlyn’s life seemed on finding love and I definitely preferred Luke’s narration. It was, however, a good premise and I got caught up in the story.
I thought it was refreshing in a teen love story that two of the male characters were dealing with serious personal issues. They acknowledged that this negatively affected their behaviour towards other people and that their actions were wrong. Also, at one point the boys are discussing who gets to keep Ashlyn....um excuse me! I don't think anyone thinks the notion of owning women is in any way romantic. Am I right women?
Aside from those gripes, I think there was good chemistry between Ashlyn and Luke which made for an enjoyable read....more
Stories about nerdy book lovers are always a winner with me. I can't think why. It touches on some important is3.5 Stars
Well that was a bit adorable.
Stories about nerdy book lovers are always a winner with me. I can't think why. It touches on some important issues such as betrayal and lies but not so much that it detracts from the high levels of fluffiness. A quick and enjoyable read....more
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